Making A Statement

Belmont & Murray State Start Strong

(St. Louis, MO) – Last year’s top five Ohio Valley Conference teams all played their first conference games and the defending champions are making a statement. Belmont and Murray State shared last year’s crown with identical 15-3 records and started their title defenses with important and impressive wins.

Third place Austin Peay was the preseason favorite and lost by 30 at Murray State while fifth place Tennessee State traveled to Belmont and lost by 15.

Murray’s Surprising Dominance

Murray roared to a 41-18 first half devastation of the Governors. The Racers seemed intent on making a statement that they still wield the OVC power. The game was close early, but MSU went on a 17-0 run to set up the half time margin. While the Racers were converting nearly 59% of their first half shots, APSU was connecting on just 32% of theirs. Four Racers finished with double figure scoring totals as Tevin Brown finished with 19 points. Chico Carter Junior 17, K.J. Williams chipped in 16 and Brion Whitley 10.

87-57 was the final. During the game Austin Peay star Terry Taylor grabbed his 1,000th rebound and became fifth OVC player to score 2,000 points and haul in 1,000 caroms. Taylor’s double-double (16 points, 11 rebounds) weren’t enough to lift APSU (3-2,0-1).

Murray (3-1, 1-0) won the rebounding battle (34-25), forced 17 Austin Peay turnovers and outscored the Governors by a whopping 52-26 margin on ‘points-in-the-paint’.

The two teams meet in Clarksville on December 21.

Belmont Making a Statement

This game followed a similar script as the other. Belmont built a 14-2 lead to start the game and never really looked back. The Bruins have won 21 of their last 24 games against the ascending Tennessee State squad. Coach Penny Collins played at Belmont and his team closed to within 7 points at half time, but spent the second half putting Belmont big man Nick Muzsynski on the free-throw line.

The 6’11 junior made 16 of 21 free-throw attempts and finished the game with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Former D3 transfer Luke Smith led the Bruins with 23 points.

Mark Freeman led all scorers with 26 points as TSU was playing its first game of the season.

The two teams are scheduled to play one another on December 18 at TSU.

APSU and TSU hope to be making a statement next time the teams meet.

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